Records needed
The individual August 26 and September 9 laboratory reports, sample locations, pump/SCADA logs, and written operating instructions.
CHERRY COUNTY, NEBRASKA
Water & monitoring
Two separate records. Dated findings. Clear next steps.
Valentine drinking water
This section concerns the municipal water system, NE3103106. Its wells and sample results are separate from the TK Angus monitoring wells.
| Date and source | What it says | What remains open |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 17 · City notice [1] | Two Well 501 samples averaged 11 mg/L nitrate. The City said it had removed the well from service. | Individual laboratory reports and the dates and times the well pumped. |
| Sept. 30 · DWEE reply [2] | Program staff said Well 501 was not removed from service and reported no correspondence requesting removal. | How this statement fits with the City notice and the actual operating record. |
These statements have not been reconciled in the records reviewed for this edition. A facility listed as active in the state database does not show whether its pump ran on a particular day. [10]
For current drinking-water instructions: read the City’s notice and contact City Hall at 402-376-2323. This records summary does not establish today’s tap-water condition. [1]
Read the test result in context
The state database lists 11.1 mg/L for sample 1065281, collected August 26, under the analyte name “NITRATE-NITRITE.” The City notice describes an 11 mg/L nitrate average from August 26 and September 9 samples. Preserve those different labels and measures; one result is not the two-sample average. [1] [11]
DWEE’s September 30 response directs readers to Drinking Water Watch for results and to the state health laboratory for the underlying laboratory reports. [2]
What this does not show
The records reviewed do not identify the source of the nitrate, establish the concentration at every tap, or resolve the conflicting service-status statements.
PFAS and wellhead records
DWEE says its voluntary initial PFAS monitoring project continues through April 2027 and that it will publish the dataset when complete. This response supplies no Valentine-specific PFAS concentration. A planning reference or an unpublished result is not a finding of contamination or safety. [2]
DWEE directed PCC to the public Wellhead layer in NebraskaMap. It also withheld an unredacted protection-area map and GIS file in RM-2026-749; RM-2026-747 additionally lists a time-of-travel delineation. The difference between the public layer and withheld files remains a question for the agency. [2] [3]
TK Angus: follow the monitoring plan
The plan is dated August 17 and marked received August 19, 2026. It describes the following work. A plan states what is to be done; field reports show what was done. [4]
| Plan requirement | Where to check |
|---|---|
| One upgradient well (MW-1), two downgradient wells (MW-2 and MW-3) | Section 3.1; PDF page 4 |
| Drilled locations, well registrations, and casing elevations with the first sampling event | Section 3.2; PDF page 5 |
| Sampling in spring and fall | Section 4.2; PDF page 6 |
| Chloride, ammonium, and nitrate | Table 1; PDF page 7 |
| A duplicate sample and a field blank for quality checks | Section 4.6; PDF page 8 |
| A report within 45 days after each sampling event | Section 6; PDF page 9 |
Read the full 19-page plan. “PDF page” counts the cover and contents pages.
The next records to check
Installed wells
Locations, drilling logs, screen depths, registrations, and measured water levels.
First and repeat tests
Dated results, quality-control results, and the conditions at each sampling event.
Agency review
DWEE’s review of each report and any follow-up, correction, or enforcement record.
Before use
Construction certification and DWEE’s written approval for use of the waste-control facilities. [5]
No installed-well report or sample-result report is included in the source set reviewed for this edition. That is a limit of this review, not proof that no such report exists. Check the live agency docket for later filings.
Details that need clarification
Section 2.2 describes “holding ponds” and uses Township 23N / Range 27N. The permit describes underfloor deep-pit barns in Township 33N / Range 27W. The plan maps show T33N R27W. These are documented mismatches; their technical significance needs an agency or professional explanation. [4] [5]
The plan uses regional information to propose groundwater flow toward the north-northwest and estimates water depth at 40-60 feet. Installed-well measurements are needed to confirm site conditions. The timing of the first sample relative to construction and use also needs a dated record. [4]